Luck of the Winchesters For a Change
by Supervillegirl
Summary: I thought of this while watching Discovery Channel one day. I would love to see them on this show!


Luck of the Winchesters (For a Change)

Sam and Dean huddled under an awning on the New York City streets, watching the rain pour down. They had left the Impala in a secure parking garage—Dean didn't want to dent it with all the crazy traffic in New York. Halfway into the city, it had started raining.

"This sucks!" said Dean.

"You're the one that wanted to head upstate into the city," said Sam.

"Yeah, but someone could have at least told us the rain was coming," muttered Dean.

Sam glanced at him. "No one can predict the weather, Dean."

"Well, let's head to a bar till the rain stops," said Dean. He spotted a vacant cab and darted forward. "Taxi!"

Sam followed after him as the cab pulled over. Dean pulled the door open, climbing inside, as Sam got in also.

"How ya doin'?" said the driver in a very thick Texan accent. He was slumped down in his seat, not looking back at them as Sam closed the door. "Where to?"

"Uh, best bar in the city," said Dean. "I don't care how far."

"Alright, O'Reilly's Pub," said the driver. "Ya got it."

Lights sprang to life on the ceiling as game show music sounded. Sam and Dean froze, looking up and around in confusion. The driver finally turned to look at them, losing the accent.

"You're in the Cash Cab!" said the guy. "It's a TV game show that takes place right here in my taxi."

Dean glanced at Sam, smiling. "Dude, I've seen this show! This is awesome!"

"Here's how the game works," he said. "I'm your host. My name is Ben Bailey. I'm gonna drive you to your destination. I'm gonna ask you questions along the way. But here's the catch—if you get three wrong, that's three strikes, and you are out, which means I'm gonna kick you out, and you'll lose everything. So, those are the rules. You guys want to play?"

"Hell yeah!" said Dean.

"Let's take a ride in the cash cab," said Ben. "What are your names?"

"I'm Dean. This is Sammy."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Sam."

"Alright, Dean and Sam," said Ben, flipping on his turn signal to get back into traffic. "You guys are headed to O'Reilly's Pub. You've got fifty blocks to rack up as much cash as you can. You ready?"

"Yeah," said Sam.

"Alright, these first questions are worth twenty-five dollars apiece," said Ben. "Let's get started. Collectively, Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras are better known as what singing trio?"

"The Three Tenors," said Dean automatically.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You've got twenty-five dollars."

Sam nodded, smiling. Of course the questions Dean would know would be related to music, movies or cars.

"The next twenty-five dollar question," said Ben. "In the Hans Christian Anderson story, what tiny item did the Princess feel through a stack of mattresses?"

"A pea," said Sam.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to fifty dollars."

"Of course you know the fairy tale story," said Dean, laughing at Sam.

"Everybody knows the princess and the pea," Sam defended himself.

"Alright, next question," said Ben. "From 1990 until they went to the Euro, the Deutsche Mark was the official currency of what country?"

"Germany," said Sam.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to seventy-five dollars. In Bill Waterson's popular comic strip, what is the name of Calvin's stuffed tiger?"

Dean laughed. "Hobbes."

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up one hundred dollars. These next questions are worth fifty dollars apiece, and they're a little bit harder. What chairman of Microsoft allegedly receives about four million e-mails a day?"

"Bill Gates," said Sam.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to one hundred and fifty dollars. Reportedly, Bill Clinton used what poet's 'Leaves of Grass' to woo both Hillary and Monica?"

"Walt Whitman," said Sam.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to two hundred dollars."

Dean glanced at Sam.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Literature History course."

The cab came to a stop at a stoplight.

"And we're at a red light, and that triggers a red light challenge!" said Ben. "It's a multiple answer question. You have to get all the answer correct to win the money. No penalty for wrong answers. If you don't get it, you don't get a strike. You just don't get the two hundred and fifty dollars. Are you ready?"

"Yeah," said Sam.

"Here we go," said Ben. "Name at least four category five hurricanes to hit the East Coast of the United States after the year 2000. Go."

"Katrina," said Dean.

Sam thought back over the last six years. "Ivan…Rita…Isabel…"

"You got it for an extra two hundred and fifty dollars!" said Ben. "You're up to four hundred and fifty dollars, and you got forty blocks to go. What classic comedy film popularized the line, 'Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?'"

"_Airplane!_" said Dean.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to five hundred dollars. In 1912, the crew of the _Carpathia_ helped assist the survivors of what nautical disaster?"

"_Titanic_," said Sam.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up five hundred and fifty dollars. You know, I think this is the first time someone has gone so long knowing every single answer."

"Well, that's 'cause we got a Stanford college boy here," said Dean, patting Sam on the shoulder. "Come on, we got more money to win."

Ben laughed. "Alright, these next question are worth one hundred a piece, and they're even harder. In what George Orwell novel do barn dwellers insist 'four legs good, two legs bad'?"

"_Animal Farm_," said Sam.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to six hundred and fifty dollars. What English rock band had the late great Keith Moon as a drummer?"

"The Who," said Dean.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to seven hundred and fifty dollars. What formerly independent city became a borough of New York City in 1898?"

"Brooklyn," said Sam.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to eight hundred and fifty dollars. In what theory did Eisenhower suggest that if one country falls to communism, the country next to it would follow suit?"

"Domino Theory," said Sam.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to nine hundred and fifty dollars."

Dean laughed. "Sweet!"

"These next questions are worth one hundred and fifty apiece, and you have thirty blocks to go," said Ben. "In 2006, what British tycoon announced he would invest three billion dollars of Virgin's profits to fight global warming?"

"Richard Branson," said Sam.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to 1,100 dollars! Immortalized on a postage stamp in 1995, what jukebox company's most famous model is nicknamed the 'Bubbler'?"

Sam and Dean glanced at each other.

"Oh, I know this," hissed Dean, putting a hand to his head.

Sam's eyes suddenly widened. "Rockola."

Ben hesitated for a moment. "That is correct!"

Dean sighed. "Close one."

"You're up to 1,250 dollars!" said Ben. "What specific variety of poker is played in the champsionship match at the World Series of Poker?"

"Texas Hold 'Em," said Dean.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to 1,400 dollars! In 1957, what Russian man-made satellite became the first to be sent into orbit?"

"Sputnik 1," said Sam.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to 1,550 dollars with twenty blocks to go! You still have your shout outs. These next questions are worth two hundred a piece. Ready?"

"Yep," said Sam.

"What's the scientific classification for a tree that loses its leaves for part of the year?" asked Ben.

"Deciduous," said Sam.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to 1,750 dollars! In a legendary transplant, the twelve-day-old Baby Fae received what organ from a baboon?"

"Heart," said Sam.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to 1,950 dollars! Often considered the fifth Beatle, what early drummer was ultimately replaced by Ringo Starr?"

"Pete Best," said Dean.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to 2,150 dollars! What Fortune 500 company's name is often listed in dictionaries as a synonym for 'photocopy'?"

"Xerox," said Sam.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to 2,350 dollars! And you still have your shout outs with ten blocks to go! That's got to be a Cash Cab record right there. Alright, these next questions are worth two hundred and fifty apiece. What car safety device is often marked SRS, meaning 'Supplemental Restraint System'?"

"Airbag," said Dean.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to 2,600 dollars! Using stents and balloons, what medical procedure restores blood flow through a narrowed artery?"

"Angioplasty," said Sam.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to 2,850 dollars! Fond of flesh and fava beans, what bad guy was named the American Film Institute's top villain of all time?"

"Hannibal Lector," said Dean.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to three…thousand…one hundred dollars! If someone tells you to 'XYZ PDQ,' what should you examine pretty darn quick?"

"Your zipper," said Dean.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to 3,350 dollars with five blocks left. You guys stay in here pretty much longer, I won't have any cash left for anyone else."

"Hey, that's how it works!" laughed Dean. "Some people are just smarter than others."

"Alright, these next questions are worth three hundred apiece," said Ben. "First used in 1875 to remove ingrown eyelashes, what cosmetic practice zaps hair follicles with a charged current?

Sam and Dean glanced at each other, at a loss.

"Uh…" said Sam, staring at Dean.

"Don't look at me," said Dean. "Do I look like I use cosmetics?"

"Would you like to use a shout out?" asked Ben.

"Yeah," said Dean.

"Street or mobile?" asked Ben.

The Winchesters thought about it for a moment, knowing they knew no women to answer that question.

"Street," said Dean.

"Alright, street shout out," said Ben, pulling over towards the sidewalk.

Dean rolled down his window, catching sight of a copule of pretty girls walking down the sidewalk. He immediately smiled and started flirting. "Hey, ladies."

The girls walked over to the cab, smiling at him.

Sam rolled his eyes, slapping Dean on the shoulder. "Focus, Dean."

"Right," said Dean. "We're in the Cash Cab. Can you help us with a question?"

"Sure," said the blonde.

"Alright," said Dean, looking back into the cab.

"First used in 1875 to remove ingrown eyelashes…" said Ben.

Dean repeated the phrase.

"What cosmetic practice zaps hair follicles with a charged current?" finished Ben.

Dean repeated it back to the girls and waited.

"That's easy," said the brunette. "Laser hair removal."

"Laser hair removal," said Dean.

"That is correct!" said Ben.

Dean looked back at the girls. "Thank you, ladies, so much." He handed them a piece of paper with his number on it. "That is for you." He rolled the window back up as Ben pulled out into traffic.

"You're up to 3,350 dollars!" said Ben. "What is the canine inspired term for a person paid to smuggle illegal aliens into the US from Mexico?"

"Coyote," said Sam and Dean.

"That is correct!" said Ben. "You're up to 3,650 dollars! And we are arriving at your destination. This is your last three hundred dollar question: In police lingo, what four word phrase puts the SWAT in SWAT team?"

"Special Weapons and Tactics," said Sam and Dean.

"That is correct!" said Ben as he pulled over in front of the pub. "You're up to 3,950 dollars! And you guys are winners."

"Yeah!" said Dean.

Ben turned towards the backseat, holding out a handful of cash. "Okay, guys, here's the deal. I've got the $3,950 right here. I can give it to you now. You can take the money and run, or…you can stick around, risk it all, and go for double or nothing on a video bonus question. So, take a minute and decide what you want to do.

Sam and Dean glanced at each other.

"We've been lucky so far," muttered Sam.

Dean looked at Ben. "Go for it. I got Boy Genius on my side."

"Alright," said Ben. "Just look at the screen, and a video will play. I will ask you a question when it's over."

A video played on the screen on the back of the driver's seat. It showed a lot of rifles and guns. When the video was over, Ben turned towards them.

"The largest handgun manufacturer in the United States, Smith and Wesson, later became reorganized as which company?"

Sam and Dean glanced at each other, smiling, before looking back at Ben.

"Winchester Repeating Arms Company," they told him.

Ben stared at them for a second—obviously trying to build suspense, even though Sam and Dean knew they got it right—and then smiled.

"That is correct!" said Ben.

"Yes!" said Dean, pumping a fist in the air.

Ben handed the cash back, and Dean grabbed onto it with a smile.

"You just won $7900 in the Cash Cab!" said Ben. "Enjoy, guys! And thanks for playing!"

Sam and Dean climbed out of the cab in front of O'Reilly's Pub. Dean held the money in awe as a cameraman stood on the sidewalk, filming their departure.

Dean waved the money in the camera lens. "Beat that!" He started laughing as he headed towards the pub door. "C'mon, Sammy! Let's go have some fun!"

Sam laughed as he followed Dean into the bar.


End file.
